Brayshaw dismisses spat as 'discussion' - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Brayshaw dismisses spat as 'discussion'

By Roger Vaughan 26/05/2008 07:39:51 PM Comments (0)

North Melbourne chairman Mark Brayshaw has dismissed Sunday's on-air spat as "robust discussion", saying the only issue remains the AFL jumper clash with Collingwood.

Kangaroos chief executive Eugene Arocca angrily returned fire on Sunday afternoon after Collingwood Eddie McGuire went on Melbourne radio to discuss the guernsey issue.

Arocca went on the Fairfax Radio Network a few minutes after McGuire's interview.

He was particularly incensed with McGuire's claim that the Collingwood boss had given permission for the Kangaroos to approach Arocca about the chief executive position.

Arocca left Collingwood in January to take the North Melbourne position.

Brayshaw would not comment on that claim by McGuire, but privately Kangaroos officials on Monday remain bemused by the assertion.

The North chairman insisted there were no problems between the two clubs.

"(It is) absolutely fine from my point of view, I don't have any problem with it," Brayshaw said of relations with the Magpies.

"Robust discussions between footy clubs have been going on for 150 years - that's what we do.

"If you get upset with every robust discussion you have with people in this caper, you're in the wrong game.

"We have no problem with Collingwood, we have enormous admiration for them, in fact."

What originally sparked Sunday's on-air exchange was the AFL decision that North must wear their away guernsey for the round-16 home match against Collingwood.

Guernsey design is an emotive issue in the AFL and no more so than at Collingwood, who insist on keeping their black-and-white stripes.

Their home guernsey is black stripes on white and the away strip is white stripes on black.

But their away strip clashes with North's blue-and-white striped home jumper and so the AFL has told the Kangaroos to wear their away jumper, which solves the problem.

North have agreed for this season, avoiding a potential $100,000 fine, but want the matter clarified beyond this year.

"We're wearing the clash jumper, we're not going to take on the AFL and cop a fine while we're in these financial times.

"All we've said is, `explain to us, in the future, what's going to happen?' - that's the end of it.

"You need to tell us what's going to happen next year and beyond with this.

"Twice this year we've worn a clash jumper against Collingwood, that's fine, we'll do what we're told, but we need very clear direction going forward as to what the story is - that's the beginning and end of it."

The league declined to comment on Monday on the issue.

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